Solar-Powered Lights Illuminate Selected Fairfax County Bus Stops

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation is testing
solar-powered LED-illuminated transit stops at 10 Fairfax Connector bus
stop locations in a preliminary study to evaluate increased visibility
and safety for bus passengers. Improving lighting at bus stop and
shelters was a recommendation in the 2005 Fairfax County "Bus Stop
Inventory and Safety Study." That study was conducted in conjunction with
the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors' pedestrian initiatives and its
Four-Year Transportation Program.

The locations were chosen by coordinating feedback from the contractor
that operates Fairfax Connector bus service with the prioritized
locations identified in the "Bus Stop Inventory and Safety
Study." The test locations are below. A list of the bus routes that
serve these stops and more information on the Bus Stop Lighting Project
is available at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/connector
under "service highlights."

LED-illuminated transit stops installed March
8:

North Shore Drive at Cameron Crescent Drive

North Shore Drive at Temporary Road

South Lakes Drive at Escalante Court

Reston Parkway at Glade Drive

Colts Neck Road at South Lakes Drive

LED-illuminated transit stops to be installed in April:

Mount Vernon Memorial Highway at Mount Vernon Road (Two stops will be
located at Mount Vernon Memorial Highway and Mount Vernon Road on
opposite sides of the street.)

Hummer Road at Frontage Road

Franconia Road at Ridge View Drive

Backlick Road at Hechinger Drive

The LED-illuminated transit stops installed are Carmanah i-STOPs®. The
i-STOP down-lighting is activated by the push of an ADA-compliant button
labeled "light." The down-lighting focuses on the passengers immediate
waiting area. After five minutes, the down-lighting automatically goes
dark, but can be re-activated as often as needed. The i-STOP also
features a flashing signal activated by pushing an ADA-compliant button
labeled "signal." The 30-second signal can be seen by drivers of
approaching buses. As a safety feature, the signal feature could help
deter passengers from stepping from the curb to flag down a bus.

The solar-powered LED-illuminated transit stops not only are more
cost-effective than lights that require electricity, but also support the
Board of Supervisors' environmental agenda outlined in "Environmental
Excellence for Fairfax County - A 20-Year Vision." Information about the
plan and the board's fiscal year 2008 environmental agenda is available
on the county's Web site at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/living/environment/eip/.

Fairfax Connector buses carry more than 30,000 passengers each weekday
and the county continues to look at opportunities to make this service as
safe and convenient as possible. Comments from the public regarding the
solar-powered LED-illuminated transit stops are welcome and should be
mailed to: Bus Stop Lighting Program, c/o Fairfax County Department of
Transportation, Suite 1034, 12055 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax,
VA 22035.

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation plans to continue this
preliminary study through the spring, and work with the public to
identify additional locations to test in the fall.

Editor's note: For media inquiries and a photo of the i-STOP
lighting, contact Paul Mounier, Fairfax County Department of
Transportation, 703-324-1470, TTY 703-324-1102.

Fairfax County is committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of
disability in all county programs, services and activities. To request
this information in an alternate format, call the Office of Public
Affairs at 703-324-3187, TTY 711.